Joseph hoffman



(No Model.)

J. HOFFMAN.

AUTOMATIC HOLDER FOR KNIVES AND PENGILS.

No. 290,683. Patented Dec. 25, 1883.

I 15?,7 f97t207" PATENT 0mins.

Josnrn HOFFMAN, or new roan, n. r, ASSIGNOI-t ro HENRY BEROLZHEIMER,

= OF SAIVIE PLACE.

AUTOMATlC HOLDE R FORKNIVES AND PENCILS.

SPECIFIGATIUN forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,683, dated December25, 1883,

Application filed October 24, 1883.

cils, and other Articles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to a holder of the automatic type-th'a-t is tosay, a holder in which the case or handle and mechanism for clamping orliiolding the article contained in said handle are combined with aretractingspring which maintains said mechanism normally in a positionin which it grasps the article, and a pressure-cap by which saidmechanism, for the purpose of releasing the article, can be movedagainst the stress of the retracting-spring.

My improvement is mainly characterized by the employment, as one of themembers of the combination just recited, of a pressure-cap "which isseparable and removable from the holder. A pressure-cap having thischaracteristic can be availed offer a variety of uses.

It may be a cover or stopper fora chamber or receptacle in the rear endof the holder, in

I shall now refer in order to explain more in detail the nature of myimprovement and the manner in which the same is or may be cars. riedinto effect.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of the instrument, partly inelevation. Fig. 2 is a like section in a plane at right angles with theplane of section in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the rearportion of the instrument. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of theremovable and reversible pressure-cap.

The instrument represented in the drawings in illustration of myinvention is an automatic holder of the gravity type, having the generalcharacteristics of the gravity-holder (No model.)

set forth in Rcissued Letters Patent No. 10,000, dated June 5, 1883. Thearticle contained therein is a knife-blade, A, and the reversiblepressure-cap Bis a miniature automatic lead and crayon holder. In Fig. 1the blade protrudes, and the pressure-cap is placed so that itslead-holding end is concealed within the case or handle 0 of theinstrument. In Fig. 2 the position of these parts is reversed.

that is to say, the position which they occupy when the graspingmechanism is closed upon the tang of the knife blade. In Fig. 3 theagainst the stress of the retracting-spring D, so as to move thegrasping mechanism is a direction to release the blade. I

Gis the tubular case or handle, of any suitable configuration, material,and construction. At its front it terminates in a nozzle, 0, through thecontracted opening a in which pass the spring-jaws b, which normallyexpand, as in the ordinary automatic pencil. The jaws are formed on orcarried. by longitudinally-mow able receiver a, in which is containedthe knifeblade A and its tang, capable of freely sliding therein withinlimits determined by the length of slot d, (in the receiver 0,) intowhich projects a stud or projection, e, onthe tang 0f the blade. Thereceiver 0 at its rear is connected to a tubular cylindrical extension,0, which fits and isadapted to slide within a sleeve, f, inserted in therear end of the case and fastened thereto. Between the tubular extension0 and the sleeve f is the spiral retracting-spring D, which bears at thefront against a shoulder, f, in sleeve f, and at the rear against ashoulder, 0 on the tubular extension 0. This retracting-spring moves thereceiver in a direction to cause the jaws b to close, as in an ordinaryautomatic holder. The rearward movement of the receiver is limited byits shoulders 0 which will bring up against the front end of sleeve f.

Thus far the instrument is not materially different from thegravity-holder hereinbefore referred to, except as to the tubularextension 0', which is open at the rear and forms, in effect, a chamberor receptacle for containing any desired article. This chamber forms asocket for the pressure-cap B, which is inserted there- In Fig. l theparts are in normal positionpressure-cap is represented as advanced in,and can be readily removed therefrom whenever desired. The pressure-capin this instance constitutes a miniature automatic leadholder,consisting of a shell or case, g, a leadreceiving tube, 71-, fastened tothe closed rear end of the shell, and provided at its outer end withclamping-j aws h, a contracted tip or nozzle, i, longitudinally movablewith reference to the jaws, and a spiral spring, j, encircling thelead-tube and interposed between the closed end of the shell and theinner end of the tip or nozzle. The tip is prevented from being pushedout too far by the shoulder t" on it, which brings up against thecontracted outer end of the shell or case.

A pin, is, on the lead-tube enters a bayonet slot, Z, in the tip,whereby when the tip is moved back by hand against the stress of thespring,for the purpose of permitting the jaws to open, it can beretained in that position by rotating it sufficiently to cause the pinto enter the cross-notch at the outer end of the slot, as indicated inFig. 4. This feature I do not here claim, inasmuch as I have alreadymade it the subject of a application for Letters Patent, Serial No.108,194.

The shell g has upon its exterior an annular flange, g, which limits theextent to which it can be inserted-either end foremost-into thereceptacle 0. When inserted holder end foremost into the receptacle 0,its lead-holding portion is contained and concealed within saidreceptacle, and it presents externally the appearance of an ordinarypressure-cap, and can be used as such. VVhen,ou the other hand,it is putin in reversed position, as seen in Fig. 2, it constitutes alead-holder, of which 0 is the handle.

It is not necessary that the lead -holding mechanism of the reversiblepressure cap should be automatic; and in lieu of carrying such amechanism the pressure-cap may .be

provided at one end with any other suitable or convenientinstrumentality-as, for instance, an eraser or an eraser-blade, whichlatter would probably be preferred if the main portion of the instrumentshould have a sliding pencil or pen instead of a knife-blade.

\Vhat I claim herein as of my own invention is- 1. In an automaticholder, the combination of the case or handle, the grasping or clamp ingmechanism, the retracting-spring, and a reversible pressure-cap,substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

2. The combination of the case or handle, the receiver and graspingmechanism longitudinally movable therein, and apressure-cap whichengages and removes with said receiver, and is movable therefrom,substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

3. The case or handle, the holding mechanism, and the tubular extensionconnected th ere- I with and adapted to slide in the case, incombination with the pressure-cap adapted to fit and close saidextension, and removable there from, substantially as and for thepurposes hereinbefore set forth.

4. The removable and reversible pressure cap having at one of its ends alead-holding device or other instrument, in combination with the case orhandle, the grasping mechanism, and the retracting-spring, substantiallyas and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

5. The removable and reversible pressurecap and automatic lead-holdercombined, in combination with the handle, the grasping mechanism, andthe retracting-spring, substantially as and for the purposeshereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set,

Ctorrection in Letters Patent No. 290,683.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 290,683, grantedDecember 25, 1883, upon the application of Joseph Hoffman, of New York,New York, for an improvement 5 in Autonmtie Holders for Knives andPencils, errors appear requiring correction as follows: In line 59, page2, of the printed specification, the word removes should read moves, andin line 60, same page, the word movable should read removable; and thatthe patent should be read with these corrections therein to make itconform to the record of the case in the Patent Oifioe.

Signed, conntersigned, and sealed this 8th day of January, A. U. 1884.

[sent] M. L. J OSLYN (Jountersigned:

BEN-l. .Bu'r'rnnwon'rn,

Cmnmissioner of Patents.

Acting Secretary of the I ntem'or.

